Author
Topic: Official NHL Thread (Read 315861 times)

And it's GAME OVER for Finland. Finns sucked as a team, there's no point to blame Backstrom, Masa. He's the best goalie Finland could have. This was the worst finnish national team in a long time, that was proven already in matches against Sweden and Latvia.

And Canada won Russia 4-3. I forgot to watch this match, but luckily there's also Sweden - Czech tonight. I read today that swedes have already reserved Kings garden to celebrate their championship. I think they're assuming a bit too much, so I hope Czech wins and swedes have to leave Wien empty-handed

They won, but they BLEW a 4-0 lead. In the last 5 min or so of the 3rd period the Russians (on multiple occasions) came within a few feet/inches of tying up the game and sending it to OT. Our boys need to really pick it up for the final.

Honestly, the best hockey team representing Canada at this very moment is the Manitoba Moose. I've been following the AHL playoffs online and on TV (from what limited coverage that is provided), and these guys are totally kicking ass!!! They just won their 2nd round playoff series by beating the team with the best regular season record in the AHL (Rochester)!!! Being the only professional Canadian team (not counting the boys playing for the World Championship) playing right now, I say these guys could potentially start getting the same type of support Calgary did during their recent Stanley Cup run.

What a final. Vokoun played a great game. He wasn't that good when he played last season in Finland's league. Canada ended up taking too many penalties in the third period. Canadians even warmed up a little in the end after Czech's third goal. Something you don't see so often i think.

Aw ... fuck. Yeah it was disappointing. The Czech defense was just like all over Canada as soon as they made an attack. Good game though, LMFAO @ Ryan Smyth for just chopping chopping Fischer's feet. That's grit you hardly see nowadays.

And fuckin Ales Hemsky better play like he did in this tourney when the NHL gets back on track. :evil:

You Euros get the same IIHF footage right? Did ya notice that hot Czech brunette fanning herself? Perv cameramen!

TORONTO -- Glenn Anderson should be an automatic choice for the Hockey Hall of Fame when the selection committee meets today, says his former coach Glen Sather.

"I don't even think there should be a debate about him," Sather said.

Anderson left the NHL in 1996 after scoring 498 regular-season goals and 93 playoff goals and earning six Stanley Cup rings, including five when Sather ran the Edmonton Oilers.

"I was there for most of his accomplishments and he's achieved many more huge results than guys that are in the Hall," said Sather, now general manager of the New York Rangers. "It kind of astounds me that every time I've seen his name mentioned that he hasn't been one of the guys who have been elected automatically."

Anderson, who was at his best in the post-season, has been passed over five times by the selection committee.

"He was the kind of player who, the bigger the game, the better he performed," Sather said during a break on the second day of a three-day NHL research camp yesterday. "Just based on his credentials in the playoffs alone I think he's a guy who really qualifies."

Current Oilers GM Kevin Lowe, who played defence on those championship Edmonton teams of the 1980s and who is also eligible for selection today, says the fact Anderson hasn't previously been selected "is a bit of a mystery" to him.

Anderson's Oilers teammates Wayne Gretzky, Jari Kurri, Paul Coffey and Grant Fuhr have been inducted, and Mark Messier will join them when he becomes eligible. So, why not Anderson?

"Those five guys, to a man, would say it's ridiculous that Anderson is not in the Hall because they all view him on the same level as themselves," said Lowe.

''When I sat in that dressing room with all those great players, when I looked around the room and we were in a big game, the one guy I thought would score the big goal was Anderson, and to his credit he did.

"Maybe, to his fault, a lot of the lesser games were less important to him. He would have scored 600 goals had they been. But anyone who has won championships recognized that Anderson was one of those big-game players. He has all the stats to support it."

and fuck shootouts. I've seen the AHL and Olympics, it ain't exciting.

Quote

WILL SHOOTOUTS BREAK TIES? Ties could be broken by shootouts after regular-season games whenever the NHL restarts.

"If they don't have a shootout, I'll be shocked," said New York Islanders GM Mike Milbury.

"That's an easy one. The fans want it, and it's the least we can do after spitting at them for the last 12 months."

"It sounds like most people want a definite outcome - a win or loss - one way or the other," Steve Tambellini, director of player personnel for the Vancouver Canucks said.

Shootouts would be used to decide a game if it remained tied after a five-minute overtime period.

I totally agree on Anderson, he shoud've gotten into the Hall the first time he was eligible.

As for the shoot-outs, I feel they're a cheap way to win/lose a game. Winning/Losing with regular play, knowing that every player gave their all, that's the proper way to do it. When it's just one on one between a shooter and goalie, it's lame because all the onus is on one player per team. It's stupid to put that kind of pressure on anyone. If they have shootouts, wait until the playoffs come with the series tied at 3 games a piece. The team that loses via shootout then (and more importantly, their fans), will scream bloody murder. :evil: :evil: :evil:

As for the shoot-outs, I feel they're a cheap way to win/lose a game. Winning/Losing with regular play, knowing that every player gave their all, that's the proper way to do it. When it's just one on one between a shooter and goalie, it's lame because all the onus is on one player per team. It's stupid to put that kind of pressure on anyone. If they have shootouts, wait until the playoffs come with the series tied at 3 games a piece. The team that loses via shootout then (and more importantly, their fans), will scream bloody murder. :evil: :evil: :evil:

Have you guys seen shootouts during a game while at an actual game? That's some tense ass shit I tell ya, and its awesome. I agree that its a shitty way to lose, but its still a team effort when its a best of 5 from each side. And shootouts never decide a playoff game - which is why they play sudden death overtime until there is a decisive winner.

So, I'm gonna have to disagree with you guys on this one. Oh, and the thick ass blue lines like how they have in AHL are hella sweet. As for those fucked up rounded nets, I'll have to wait until I see them in action before I judge them.

In a profanity-laced rant at a news conference for Mario Lemieux's charity golf tournament Saturday, Flyers center Jeremy Roenick ripped into fans who have been critical of the NHL Players' Association throughout the current NHL lockout."If people are going to sit and chastise pro athletes for being cocky, they need to look at one thing and that's the deal we're going to be signing in about three weeks,'' Roenick said. "Pro athletes are not cocky. Pro athletes care about the game. Everybody out there who calls us spoiled because we play a game, they can kiss my a--.

"I will say personally, to everybody who calls us spoiled, you guys are just jealous. We're trying to get this thing back on the ice and make it better for the fans. If you don't realize that, then don't come. We don't want you in the rink, we don't want you in the stadium, we don't want you to watch hockey.''

Roenick also reiterated previous comments from last week where he lamented the union's failure to reach a deal in mid-February, which would have salvaged some of the 2004-05 season and would likely have resulted in a better deal for the players in the new collective bargaining agreement. A new CBA is expected to be signed within the next two weeks, but the salary-cap numbers being talked about were higher in February.

"If we would have signed that deal in February, in terms of what we're getting now, we would have looked like heroes,'' Roenick said. "Right now we look like a bunch of idiots. The deal in February beats the (expletive) out of the deal we're gonna sign in July.''

Roenick did admit players were not active enough in the negotiating process when there was a chance to salvage the season.

"It's unfortunate we had to go through a whole year to realize the s--- that was going on,'' Roenick said. "We've hurt our league, we've hurt the reputation of our league and the integrity of our league by sticking up for something that might not have been the right thing to do.''

Last week, Roenick said he was debating if he would even return to the NHL when it comes back.

"I have to see how my body reacts to some really, really, really hard training regimen here coming up in the latter part of the summer," Roenick told Sporting News Radio. "It's very hard to get motivated without a deal. Once that announcement comes, I think the motivational factor will definitely be lifted.

"I have not 100 percent made my decision to play, but to tell you the truth, I have a lot of drive in me and really, really want to continue."